Making Headlines
by magicalprowess
Summary: After reporter Scarlet Littlewood is demoted at work she is reassigned (much to her chagrin) to cover the Society pages. Her first story? The celebration and award ceremony being thrown for one Theseus Scamander. But while she should be focusing her energies on covering the war hero, she is immediately drawn to his younger brother, Newton Scamander.
1. Chapter 1

You were late again. You made a beeline through the newsroom, hunching over slightly to divert attention away from your entrance. Arriving at your desk, you dropped your purse to the floor and slumped into your chair. You let out a sigh of relief.

"Littlewood!"

 _Shite._ You grimaced, then plastered a smile on your face as you turned to meet your boss's glare.

"Mr. Black!" You said too brightly. "Good morning, sir!"

He frowned. "Littlewood, this is the third time you've been late _this week."_

Your smile didn't falter. "Oh well, sir, I was out investigating a new lead."

Mr. Black huffed. "You were out drinking shots of Firewhiskey with some bloke at the Leaky Cauldron… Jones spotted you there last night, himself."

 _Jones, that miserable tosser._ You coughed. "Yes, _he_ was my lead," you said rather unconvincingly.

He sighed, pinching the brim of his nose. "Merlin's beard, it's not _decent._ Remind me again why I keep you around?"

"I'm the best reporter you've got, sir," you said, flashing him a grin. Mr. Black frowned at you.

"I'm taking you off the Grindelwald story."

"What?!" You stood, heat rising to your cheeks. "Have you lost the plot!?"

"Littlewood," Mr. Black said, holding up his hand, "I'm not arguing with you on this. You are a bright woman, an ace reporter, but you've got absolutely no decorum."

You gaped at him. "How has that ever impacted my writing?"

He hesitated. "Well, we've had some complaints filed about your… after hours behavior."

You arched a brow. "So?"

Mt. Black stared at you helplessly. "Littlewood, they're our _readers._ Our bread and butter. Their word is my command."

"What I do on my own time is really none of the _Daily Prophet's_ business."

"You're a reporter - you should know. _Everything_ is our business."

You sat down, angrily. "So what, I have to stay in the office, filing papers like a bloody secretary?"

Mr. Black shrugged, removing a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. "Not at all." He took a long drag and blew the smoke out slowly. "I'm putting you on the Society pages."

You groaned. "Society? Really?"

"Really," he said. He searched your face for a moment, his eyes softening. "It's not permanent, Scarlet. You really are my best reporter."

You looked up at him, sighing. "So," you said with some finality, "what's my assignment then?"

"You heard of the Scamander family?" He took another draw from his cigarette and looked at you expectantly.

'Here and there." You leaned back in your chair, crossing your legs. "Well-to-do Pureblood family, right?"

Mr. Black nodded. "Their eldest son is being awarded a medal for bravery in the war. They're honoring him with a private party and a public ceremony two days later. I've secured you an invitation to both. I want an interview with him, as well - try to get some details about Grindelwald, if you can. He's the lead Auror on the case."

You hummed. "An Auror _and_ a war hero? Might not be such a bad assignment after all…"

"No funny business," he warned. "This may be the 20's, but it's still England."

"It's almost the 30's, actually," you mumbled.

"What?" Mr. Black asked sharply.

You shot him your most dazzling smile, raising your hand to your forehead in a small salute. "Nothing, sir. Nothing at all."

* * *

You knocked back your drink, reading over Theseus Scamander's file again. It was a classic hero story, if you had ever seen one. _How boring._

"Are you coming back to bed, love?"

You turned your head to the man standing in the doorway of your office. "I have to work," you said, shooting him an apologetic glance.

"Oh," he said, trying not to sound disappointed. "That's ok, actually I… I should be getting back to work, myself." He made a show of looking at his watch, as if to illustrate how busy he was. He turned, walking back into your bedroom and dressing. You stood, grabbing his jacket from your coat rack and walking him to the front door. "I had a good time last night," he said, leaning in to kiss you. You turned your head slightly, letting his lips land on your cheek.

"Me too," you said, forcing a smile you didn't feel. He stepped out into your hallway.

"Maybe I could take you out this weekend?"

"I'm going out of town for a few days for work, actually," you said, slowly.

"Ah," he said, realization dawning on his face. "There is no next time, is there?" You gave him a small smile as he nodded. "Hey, that's ok. That's ok. We had fun, right?"

"We did," you said, flashing him a grin. He smiled.

"Take care of yourself, then." You nodded, giving him a wave and shutting the door softly. _This was easier,_ you reminded yourself. _Easier than getting hurt._


	2. Chapter 2

Mrs. Scamander lived in a big manor near Newhaven, and had generously offered to accommodate your stay under her own roof. She seemed excited for you to interview her son, which was a welcome surprise. People, in general, hated reporters. Truth be told, you had never spent much time in the country at all, and were excited to get away from London for a few days.

The home was quite impressive, you noted, as you made your way up the winding driveway. You tried to imagine the Scamander boys growing up here, but the thought of children playing in such a grand estate seemed almost wrong. You shook your head, smiling at the picture in your mind of a young Theseus pretending to be an army general, commanding his brother to march around the grounds, most likely getting grass stains on their very expensive clothing. Perhaps they spent their summers climbing the massive Ash trees that lined the property, or jumping from the giant marble stairs that led to the entryway, or fishing in their private lake...

You climbed the steps to their door, hesitating momentarily before ringing the bell. A kind elderly man answered, looking at you expectantly.

"Hello," you said, giving him a smile. "My name is Scarlet Littlewood, I'm the reporter."

"Of course," he said, stepping back and gesturing for you to step inside. "Wait here."

You waited in the foyer, bouncing on the balls of your feet. You let your eyes wander from painting to painting, finally settling on a particularly realistic depiction of a Hippogriff to your right. You stepped closer to it, examining it with a crinkled nose.

"Fancy seeing you here," you said to the painting, tilting your head. The Hippogriff turned to you, squawking. "Fair enough," you said, looking away. "I don't like to be stared at either." You wandered over to another painting, eyeing the proud-looking man inside. His hair was rather disheveled, brown curls falling every which way onto his forehead.

"How do you do?" You said, curtseying. The man smiled, his green eyes flashing over you with interest.

"Lovely," he said.

"He was always a flirt."

You turned around in surprise, seeing an older woman standing behind you and smiling at the painting. She caught your eye.

"My late husband," she said, nodding at him. Mr. Scamander's painting smiled shyly. "They didn't quite get his freckles right…"

"Mrs. Scamander," you said, holding out a hand. "It's an honor."

"It is? What have I done?" She looked at you quizzically, and you couldn't help but laugh.

"You know, I'm not sure _why_ people say that, really. I just know it's a thing you're supposed to say." You leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially. "I've been told I need to work on my manners."

Mrs. Scamander gave you a kind smile and chuckled. "Well, then. It's an honor to meet you, Miss Littlewood."

"Call me Scarlet," you said. Something about her made you instantly comfortable and warm. She nodded. "Thank you for letting me stay in your home."

"Nonsense," she said. "With the boys gone, the house really is quite empty. I'm excited to have guests for a weekend, at least. And both the boys will be here, of course."

"Is Mr. Scamander here already?" You asked. Maybe you could do the interview today and get it out of the way...

"No," she said. "Theseus will be arriving tomorrow. He's got some official Ministry business to take care of.. You know how it is to be important."

"Not really," you said, laughing. "I'm not wanted or needed, most of the time. I just show up to things uninvited."

"Now, who wouldn't want _you_ around?" She mused.

"You'd be surprised, Mrs. Scamander."

"With two boys, nothing surprises me anymore." She turned and began to walk from the foyer, gesturing for you to follow her. "Theseus arrives tomorrow with the other guests, but my other son is already here." Mrs. Scamander led you down a long hallway, stopping in front of one of the rooms towards the end of the hall. "This will be your room," she said. "I'll leave you for now, but dinner will be in an hour. I assume you'd like to freshen up from traveling."

"Thank you," you said smiling. Mrs. Scamander nodded.

"I'll leave you to it, then."

* * *

In truth the room was bigger than your whole apartment back home - and about ten times nicer. You had drawn yourself a bath, letting your muscles relax in the warm water as you hummed to yourself. Maybe the Social pages weren't so bad after all. You let your head fall back and rest on the edge of the tub, closing your eyes. You had just about drifted off to sleep when you began to hear scratching noises coming from the bedroom. Curious you stood, stepping out of the water and wrapping a towel around your body. You peeked your head out from the bathroom and scanned the room.

"What the…" You trailed off seeing a strange creature hovering by your jewelry box, which you had placed on the dresser earlier. It had been rummaging through it - evidenced by the contents spilling out and over the table-top. The creature had frozen, locking its tiny, black eyes with yours. You stepped out of the bathroom. "Excuse me!" You said, irritated. "Am I being robbed?"

The creature gave you a look that very plainly said "maybe" before turning away from you and continuing its assault on your jewelry. "Hey!" You made to move towards it, but before you could you were interrupted by the door to your room crashing open.

"There you are!"

You spun, facing the man who had just barged into your room. He was red-faced and out of breath, and you noted absently that he looked quite similar to the painting of Mr. Scamander in the foyer, though perhaps with more pronounced cheekbones. He was eyeing the creature, agitated.

"Really?" He asked it, raising a brow. The creature made a purring noise and went to jump off the dresser, but the man was too quick. "Immobilus." You watched in amusement as the creature froze in midair, clearly upset by this new development. The man strode over to it, grabbing it gently and shaking his head.

"What _is_ that thing?" You asked, hiding a smile. The man looked at you, realizing for the first time that you were there.

"Oh," he said, looking at the carpet. "My Niffler." He fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

You raised a brow. "Who are _you?"_

"I'm Newt," he said, as if you should know what that meant.

"Ok, Newt," you said, slowly. "I'm Scarlet." He nodded, though you weren't sure why.

"You're here to interview my brother," he said.

"You're here to… be his brother," you finished. He looked up at you quizzically. "I don't know where I was going with that," you admitted, flashing him a smile. All at once he seemed to remember where he was. His eyes raked over you as he reddened.

"I… I'm so sorry…" He left the room immediately, leaving you surprised. A part of you registered that maybe you should be embarrassed, but instead you shrugged, dropping your towel to the floor and stepping back into the warm water of your bath.


	3. Chapter 3

The mysterious Newt did not appear for dinner. Mrs. Scamander mumbled something about him taking care of beasts and not having manners, but you didn't mind. She was wonderful company. The food was remarkable, better than anything you had tasted in a while - though your typical diet consisted mainly of cigarettes and Firewhiskey, so you didn't have much to compare it to. You _did_ feel a twinge of guilt, however, when the main course was plated before you.

"I'm so sorry," you said, blushing and looking down at your rabbit. "I should have told you. I don't eat meat." Mrs. Scamander had simply raised a brow at you.

"So many animal lovers in the house…" she said, a small smile on her lips. She had cleared it away with a wave and replaced it with something else, as if it were a normal occurrence for her.

After dinner she stood slowly and looked down at you with affection.

"My dear, I wish I could entertain you, but I fear that I am too old." She squeezed your shoulder. "Make yourself at home, Scarlet. You are most welcome here." You sat alone for a moment, enjoying the quiet solitude of the dark house before realizing you wanted a smoke.

It was rather warm outside, though the sun had began to set already. You lit your cigarette and watched the sherbet sky. Again you tried to imagine growing up in such a place, but it made you chuckle. Life just hadn't been that way for you.

You were suddenly distracted by a squawking sound in the distance, and you turned towards the far off noise. You were beginning to think you had imagined it when you heard it again, faintly, coming from within the wooded area off the driveway. You walked towards it, curious, taking lazy draws from your cigarette. The wooded area was quite dense, to your surprise. You made your way over the sticks and moss slowly, unsure of what force was pulling you deeper and deeper into the wood. You gasped as you came into a clearing, the trees pulling back and allowing you to clearly see the magnificent silhouettes of two, full-grown Hippogriffs. You were in awe. You stood there, gaping, for what seemed like hours, before starting towards them. They had noticed you now, eyeing you warily as you approached.

"Hello, beautiful," you smiled, tilting your head. You were still quite a ways from them, but you were hypnotized by their elegance. You took another step. "I won't hurt you," you said. The Hippogriff closest to you fidgeted. "That's it," you said, taking another step.

You suddenly felt someone grab your arm and jerk you back behind the nearest tree.

"Thank Merlin I stopped you in time..." Your eyes widened in surprise, registering Newt standing before you, breathing heavily.

"What are you _on_ about?" You said, rubbing your arm and looking up at him. He really was quite tall.

"You can't just _walk up_ to a Hippogriff," he explained, irritation coloring his voice. "You'll get yourself _seriously_ hurt."

You bit your lip. You had never seen a Hippogriff before in real life, only studied them briefly in school. "I didn't know…" you said, trailing off. Newt looked down to where you were rubbing your arm.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, not meeting your gaze. You gave him a shaky smile.

"No, I'm glad you know your onions," you said truthfully. You turned, peeking your head around the tree and then back to him. "Newt, right?" You said, eyeing him. He nodded.

"And you're Miss Littlewood." You crinkled your nose.

"Scarlett," you said in distaste. "So how can I see them up close?"

"See what?" Newt asked, flicking his eyes to yours momentarily.

You chuckled at him. "The Hippogriffs!"

"O-oh," he said, confused. "You still want to?"

"Why _wouldn't_ I?" You said, grinning. You watched them from behind the tree. "They're _marvelous."_

"They are," Newt said, stepping to your side. "But I'll introduce you tomorrow. It's best to meet them in daylight." You hummed in disappointment, but nodded.

"Alright, just promise me you're not all mouth and no trousers."

"Excuse me?" He said, giving you an amused smile and meeting your eyes for the first time.

"You _know_ ," you said, flashing him a grin. "You keep your promises, right?" He chuckled at you, and you raised a brow at him. "Well?"

"I keep my promises," he said. You nodded, satisfied. He didn't seem like the lying type. "Shall we?" He said, turning back towards the manor and offering you his elbow. You laughed.

"I don't need your help, Mr. Scamander," you said, walking ahead of him. "But I'll take your company, anyway." You threw him a look over your shoulder, smiling as he hesitated momentarily before following you.

* * *

"Shall we have a drink?" You said upon entering the foyer.

"I don't drink," Newt said absently, letting his eyes wander from painting to painting.

"Why does that not surprise me?" You smiled. Newt had much the same effect on you as his mother. He was easy to be around, and kind - you could tell. He felt comfortable. "Am _I_ allowed to drink?" You said. Newt looked at you quizzically.

"Why wouldn't you be?" He asked. You shrugged.

"It's not ladylike." You followed Newt as he led you into a small sitting room, watching him as he poured you a drink of Firewhiskey.

"What is, then?" He asked, handing you the glass. You sat down in one of the armchairs, letting your head fall back.

"They tell me keeping quiet and powdering your nose," you said. You took a drink from your glass and smiled. "I'm ok with the powdering my nose bit, though." You gave Newt a lazy wink and closed your eyes. "What do you do, Newt?"

"Me? Oh… I'm a Magizoologist." You opened one eye at him in question. He colored. "I study magical creatures. I'm writing a book about them." You hummed, lifting your head.

"Really? What sort of creatures?" You were interested, and this seemed to both surprise and excite him.

"Oh, all kinds. I've been to Egypt and South America… to China and -"

"China?!" You interrupted. "But that's fantastic!" Newt blushed.

"I wouldn't say that…" You eyed him, wondering why none of this had come up in his file. You had read the youngest Scamander worked at the Ministry of Magic - you had no idea he was an adventurer, too.

"What's it like there?" You asked him, sitting up straight. "In China," you added.

"Hot," he smiled.

"I would give _anything_ to leave London and travel the world…" you said, shaking your head.

"Why don't you?" Newt had tilted his head and was studying you curiously. You chuckled.

"The _Daily Prophet_ doesn't pay me enough," you said. You downed the rest of your drink and smiled, closing your eyes. "I have this reoccurring dream that I'm on a boat, traveling somewhere far away…" You opened your eyes to find Newt watching you. "Do you think it's a premonition?" He was quiet for a moment.

"Yes," he said finally. You smiled.

"Good."

You were both quiet for a moment, lost in your respective thoughts. Newt broke the silence first.

"I should head to bed. We have guests arriving in the morning." You nodded. "Goodnight," he said.

"Oh, Newt?" He turned to you, eyes wide. "Keep that Niffler of yours away from my jewelry box."


	4. Chapter 4

When you entered the dining room for breakfast the next morning you were surprised to see Newt and his mother already seated and fully dressed. Newt glanced up at you as you came in, giving you a small smile.

"I must be late," you said, sitting across from him.

"Not at all," Mrs. Scamander said. "We're just early risers." You bit your lip, feeling a bit self-conscious with your rumpled hair and pajamas. "You look beautiful, dear," she said, patting your arm. You gave her a smile. "Tea?"

You grimaced. "Anything stronger?" She smiled, tapping your glass with her wand and filling it was hot coffee. "Thank you," you said. You wrapped your hands around the mug and brought it to your nose, inhaling.

"There's breakfast, too," she said, gesturing to the sausages on the table. You went to open your mouth but Mrs. Scamander stopped you, chuckling. "Oh yes, I forgot. Well, there's fruit."

You smiled. "Thank you," you said, reaching for an orange. "Can we meet the Hippogriffs this morning, Newt?" You made a show of looking out the window. "It's daylight now."

He offered you a lopsided smile. "As long as you promise not to go barrelling up to them."

"I wasn't _barrelling,"_ you said. "I was being adventurous." You took a sip of your coffee, raising a brow at him over your mug. "You of all people should appreciate that."

"Adventure is no excuse for recklessness," he said smiling into his tea.

"Well one certainly makes the other more likely, doesn't it?" You challenged.

"You'd better hurry before our guests arrive," Mrs. Scamander warned, giving her son a mischievous wink. Newt colored a bit.

"Oh! Let me go change quickly," you said, standing. "I'll meet you out front in ten minutes." You popped an orange slice into your mouth and headed off, smiling to yourself. You'd had worse assignments.

* * *

"Alright, now, come here slowly."

You stared at Newt, marveling at how he stroked the Hippogriff's head like they were old friends. The beast nudged his shoulder lovingly with her beak, squawking softly and spreading her wings.

"Just walk up?" You said, unconvinced. "Isn't that exactly what you told me _not_ to do?"

Newt gave you a lopsided grin. "Who is the expert here?" You made a show of deliberating and he chuckled. "Come on, then." You walked forward until he held up a hand. "Ok, that's close enough. Now bow."

"Excuse me?" You looked at him, amusement dancing in your eyes. "Is this real, or are you taking the mickey?"

"Merlin's beard, Scarlet, _bow."_ You shot him one last look before doing as you were told, looking up at the Hippogriff before you. She seemed to hesitate before bowing her head in return.

"Wow," you breathed, returning to an upright position. Newt motioned for you to stand beside him. "You sure?" You asked him.

"Do you trust me?" He looked at you, smiling, and you were momentarily struck by his confidence.

"Merlin knows why," you said, stepping forward. The Hippogriff squawked at you, tilting its head to the side. "I don't blame you," you said to her. "I'm not much to look at." She lowered her head a bit and you raised your hand. "But _you_ … are magnificent." You gently touched her feathers, smiling when she didn't protest. "Your mum really breeds them?" You asked Newt. He was watching you with a strange expression, but nodded at your question. You hummed.

"We should get back," he said suddenly. You nodded.

"Until next time, friend," you said to the Hippogriff.

You and Newt made your way back to the manor in companionable silence. You had been walking for a while when he turned to you.

"Why didn't you eat at breakfast?" You were surprised by his question, opening your mouth without speaking. "I'm sorry," he said, staring at the ground. "It's none of my business."

You shrugged. "No, I really don't mind the question, I just wasn't expecting it." You resumed walking. "I don't eat meat, haven't since I was a little girl."

"I see," Newt said quietly. He waited a moment before continuing. "Why is that?"

You sighed. "When I was about 8 or 9 my mum made me help her prepare rabbit for dinner. I know it's silly, but I had never really made the connection that what we ate _came_ from somewhere. That what we eat was, at one time, an animal." You shook your head. "I just could never bring myself to eat it again, after that." You turned to look at Newt, who was wearing a thoughtful expression. "You think I've lost my marbles?" You asked, smiling.

"No," he said slowly. "Not at all."

"That makes one of us," you sighed.

"Newt!"

You both looked up to see a man striding in your direction. Your eyes raked over him quickly - he shared Newt's curly mop and freckles, but was a bit taller and about twice as wide.

"Theseus," Newt smiled as the man drew near.

"I've missed you, brother," Theseus said, drawing Newt in for a hug. He noticed you and smiled. "And who is this?" You immediately understood why Theseus was so popular in the Wizarding World. He was confident, charming, and handsome all at once.

"Miss Scarlet Littlewood," you said, extending your hand. He took it, bringing it to his lips and kissing your knuckles, maintaining eye contact the entire time.

"The reporter," he said, not a question.

"May I have my hand back?" You arched a brow at him, offering him a grin. This was the kind of banter you were used to having with men your age.

"If you insist," he said, returning your smile. _It should be easy to get him to talk,_ you thought. _Maybe if you got him to spill about Grindelwald, you could get your old job back…_

Newt coughed from beside you, drawing Theseus' attention away momentarily. He fidgeted next to you uncomfortably.

"I was just showing Miss Littlewood the Hippogriffs…" Newt trailed off, and you frowned a bit at the formal use of your name. Theseus flashed you a brilliant smile.

"An animal lover, are you?" Theseus offered his arm to you, and you hesitated a moment before taking it and making your way back towards the house with him. "You should fit right into our family, then."

"Is that so?" You said, glancing back over your shoulder at Newt. He was staring at the ground and frowning.

"We'll make you a Scamander, yet," Theseus said, giving you a wink.


	5. Chapter 5

It was afternoon and you were bored. Theseus had agreed to speak to you later this evening, but was quite busy at present. You wandered through the halls until you came across a room positively _filled_ with books. It was empty, save for a large wooden desk, a blue overcoat thrown over a chair, and a suitcase in the middle of the floor. You made your way to the desk, sitting in the char and reading through some of the papers strewn across the top. _Doxy bites are venomous,_ one said, _and require the immediate usage of an antidote. The growth on a Murtlap's back may be pickled and eaten to build resistance to jinxes,_ said another. You furrowed your brow. You realized they must be Newt's notes, and you smiled. Your amusement was short lived, however, as several large bangs made you jump. You scanned the room, trying to locate the source of the commotion. You eyes settled warily on the suitcase, flinching when a couple more bangs were produced from inside.

"What in the name of…" You stood, walking slowly to the case and kneeling before it. The lid was closed but unlocked, and it vibrated with each new bang and crash. You hesitated momentarily before flinging it open. "Curious," you whispered. Looking in you immediately saw a ladder leading down into the case. You shrugged, stepping in gingerly and climbing down. You found yourself in a workshop of sorts, filled to the brim with books and plants. The banging was even louder down here, and you winced as it rattled the walls and floor. You made your way across the shed, momentarily hesitating at the door before flinging it open and gasping.

Before you was an entire world - lush grasslands, a small forest, boulders piled together to create small mountains and trees taller than any you had seen in real life. The sky above was brilliantly blue and peppered with wispy clouds. An insect the size of a tennis ball whizzed by you, stopping momentarily to inspect you before flying off into a nearby meadow. You were distracted once again by the banging, so close now that it rumbled through the earth beneath you, and you turned your head to see a giant creature rolling back and forth on the ground.

"Scarlet?"

You jerked your head towards Newt's voice, mouth agape. He was standing before you free of his usual jacket and waistcoat, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Your eyes flicked down to the light scars covering his forearms, and you colored at the intimacy of the moment. Newt didn't seem upset that you were there, instead seeming to study your reaction with academic curiosity.

"What are you doing down here?"

"I…" you trailed off, looking from him to the great creature to your left, still rolling back and forth. "What _is_ that thing?"

Newt's eyes followed yours. "An Erumpent," he shrugged. You nodded, swallowing.

"What…" You shook your head, collecting your thoughts. You let your arms drop to your sides, taking a moment to look back around at the scene before you. "Where are we?"

"Oh," Newt said, straightening up and looking around himself. "In my case. I keep my creatures here, you see."

"You made all this." It was a statement, not a question, and Newt nodded.

"Ah, yes," he said, staring at the ground. "It makes it easier to study my creatures, and to transport them of course." He licked his bottom lip nervously. "Of course, I _could_ always - "

"Newt," you interrupted, surprising him. You waited until he met your eyes before continuing. "This is _incredible."_ His eyes widened a bit in surprise before his face broke into a brilliant smile. This resulted in a warm feeling that pooled in the pit of your stomach, which you promptly ignored.

"Would you like a tour?" You grinned.

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Newt had taken you through each habitat in his case, showing you all of his creatures and teaching you about each one. It was truly impressive. The magic and care it must have taken to develop such a detailed world… You smiled, watching him interact with Pickett, one of his Bowtruckles. You had never seen someone who loved something half as much as Newt loved his creatures. The men in your life had not been decent people, to say the least, but something about the gentle way Newt was speaking to Pickett made you trust him.

"Now, Pickett," he said, "this is our new friend, Miss Littlewood."

"Scarlet," you corrected, smiling at the Bowtruckle. He clicked at you from the back of Newt's hand.

"Scarlet," he said, glancing at you and smiling. He walked over to you slowly, extending his arm so you could see Pickett eye to eye.

"Well, hello," you said. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Pickett clicked at you happily and you smiled up at Newt. "He's brilliant, isn't he?"

"Don't go giving him a big head, now," Newt chided. Pickett stuck his tongue out at him, crawling up his arm and disappearing into the pocket of his dress shirt. You shook your head and chuckled, sitting down on the grass and lying back to watch the clouds pass through the sky.

"Why would you ever leave this place?" You said, enjoying the way the grass tickled the back of your neck. Newt sat on the ground next to you, planting his palms into the ground and leaning back.

"Sometimes I don't want to," he said quietly. You hummed. Newt turned to look at you, and you smiled as he studied your face.

"You always look at me like you're trying to add me up," you said. He blushed immediately.

"I… I suppose I am," he said. "I can't help but study things, I suppose."

"My job is to work people out, too," you said. You wiggled your fingers through the grass at your sides. "People always lie to me. I try to find the truth."

"I won't lie to you," Newt said, and you were surprised at the fierceness of his tone.

"No," you said slowly. "No, I don't think you would." You were both were quiet for a moment, each lost in your own thoughts.

"When will you interview my brother?"

"Shite," you said, sitting up. "Theseus." You had completely forgotten you were here to do a job. "I should go see if he's free." Newt stood and offered you a hand to help you up. You took it, squeezing it gently. He looked down at you in surprise and you smiled. "Thank you for sharing your world with me."

"Oh," Newt said, coloring. "It was nice to share it with you." You pulled yourself up and let his hand go, frowning at the loss of contact.

"See you at dinner?" Newt gave you a nod and you turned, heading back into the shed and up the ladder.


	6. Chapter 6

"Come in."

Theseus was at his desk, head bowed and writing when you stepped into his office.

"Sorry to intrude, Mr. Scamander," you said, sitting down. He looked up and smiled at the sound of your voice.

"Miss Littlewood, your presence is hardly an intrusion." He gave you a look that made your body warm and your heart sink simultaneously. You usually welcomed that kind of attention, but somehow, with Theseus, it felt wrong…

"Are you too busy for an interview?"

"I just finished my work," he said, glancing down at the letter he was writing. "Something at the Ministry has prevented our guests from arriving this afternoon. They'll be here tomorrow instead."

"I hope it's nothing serious," you said, hoping to get material for your article. Theseus forced a smile.

"Not at all."

"Well," you said, pulling out your notebook and charmed quill and letting them levitate beside you poised and ready to take notes. Theseus raised a brow at you.

"Is all that necessary for a conversation between friends?"

"Just want to make sure I get my facts straight," you said, flashing him a smile. He sat back in his chair and chuckled.

"You know, I've never been interviewed by someone quite as engaging as you," he said, eyes flicking to your quill as it scribbled his words.

"Can I quote you on that?" You grinned. You liked Theseus. You could tell he was a good man, though perhaps a bit of a charmer. "Can you state your name for the record?"

"Theseus Scamander," he said.

"Ok, Mr. Scamander, you're being awarded a medal for bravery during the war. How does that make you feel?"

"Embarrassed, quite frankly. I was scared the entire time I was fighting. There is nothing brave about war, Miss Littlewood."

"But," you said quietly, tilting your head, "you saved countless civilians. Surely, that constitutes bravery."

"I did what I had to do, and I helped who I could." Theseus ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly, I just couldn't stop thinking about my family… do you have much family, Miss Littlewood?"

"No," you said. "No, I have no brothers or sisters, and my parents died when I was younger."

"I'm sorry," Theseus said. "I didn't mean - "

"No," you waved a hand dismissively. "No, it's ok. Go on." He gave you a sad smile.

"I was worried about my mother, of course. And I was worried sick about my brother, who was fighting - "

"Newt fought in the war?" You looked at Theseus with wide eyes, and he seemed surprised.

"Oh, yes," he said. "Yes, he worked with dragons along the eastern front."

"Dragons?" You leaned forward a bit.

"Ukranian Ironbellies, actually. It was a classified program for the Ministry, but they had to cancel it." You furrowed your brow.

"Why?"

Theseus smiled at you. "Well, the dragons kept trying to eat everyone. Except for my brother, of course."

"That sounds like Newt," you said, smiling warmly. Theseus chuckled, regarding you with a strange look.

"It does, doesn't it?"

A knock at the door made you both jump. You looked up to see Newt standing in the doorway, shifting uncomfortably.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said, looking at Theseus and taking a few steps into the room, "but mother has called us all to the dining room for dinner."

"We can finish later," you said, grabbing your quill and notebook. Theseus nodded as you stood. "I'm going to wash up a bit. See you both at dinner." You turned and flashed Newt a smile as you made your way out of the office. You had stopped just outside the door to pocket your notebook when you heard Newt speak.

"How's the interview going?" His voice sounded strange, like he was trying too hard to sound casual.

"We had really just started," Theseus said, "but we were talking about you."

"About me?" Newt asked. "What in Merlin's beard for?"

"She seemed interested in your involvement in the war, is all." You heard Theseus' chair scrape on the floor as he stood. "Almost more interested than in my involvement." You heard Newt cough and smiled as you imagined him blushing.

"I do believe Scarlet is a very good reporter. I'm sure she had a reason to ask."

"On a first-name basis, are we?" Theseus was teasing him now, and you heard Newt sputter a bit. "Alright, Newton, I can take a hint. I'll let her be."

"No, Theseus, that's not what I - "

"No?" There was a smile in Theseus' voice. "Perhaps I should ask her to accompany me to the awards ceremony then… she's quite beautiful, don't you think?"

"Oh.." Newt said, sounding incredibly strained. "Yes, I… sorry, what?" Theseus laughed.

"Come on, we mustn't keep mother waiting."

You were gone before they could say anything else.

* * *

You were quiet at dinner, lost in your thoughts. You hadn't had a chance to ask Theseus about Grindelwald yet, and it weighed heavily on your mind. You _were_ here to do a job, afterall, not hang around with eccentric men like Newt Scamander. You felt your stomach flip a bit at the thought of him and bit your lip.

"Are you alright, dear?" You looked up to see Mrs. Scamander eyeing you with concern.

"I'm fine," you said, forcing a smile. "I'm just… tired."

"It's exhausting to be young," she said, nodding. "Don't you think, Theseus?"

"Very exhausting," he agreed. "You should rest tonight, Miss Littlewood. Tomorrow night we're having a party with some of our closest relations. I'm sure you'll enjoy meeting them - most of them are in top positions at the Ministry."

"I can't wait," you said flatly. You hated those kinds of parties, truth be told. Everyone at them was always so self-important.

"I think I'll leave you all to socialize tomorrow," Newt said. "I have some work to do on my book and - "

"Newton," Theseus interrupted. "You are _not_ getting out of this party. Need I remind you, _you_ work for the Ministry?"

"Nobody will care if I'm there or not, Theseus," Newt said. "They'll all be looking to speak to you."

"You're coming," Theseus said with some finality. Newt clenched his jaw, eyes flicking to yours and then down at his plate. You knocked back the rest of your Firewhiskey, closing your eyes and feeling the buzz of alcohol in your system.

After dinner Theseus suggested you all make your way to the sitting room to catch up on everything he had missed on his travels. You hung back in the dining room momentarily, finishing your drink before standing to follow them. As you passed through the doorway you were surprised to find Newt waiting for you on the other side.

"Oh," you said, stopping abruptly before walking into his chest. "Hello."

"Are you alright?" He said. You raised a brow at him.

"I think so? Why?" Newt pursed his lips.

"You just… I'm sorry, tell me to sod off if this isn't my business but… you seemed upset at dinner." You offered him a half-smile and laughed.

"You're awfully intuitive, Mr. Scamander." He stayed quiet, waiting for you to speak. "I'm… not feeling well," you said finally. "And I'm not a fan of big parties." These things were true, of course - although you left out all of the confusing things you were feeling about him from the conversation. His eyes softened.

"I'm also not looking forward to tomorrow evening," he said, looking over your right shoulder. "I was rather hoping I could escape to my case."

"Can I come with you?" You joked. Newt gave you a shy smile and offered you his arm.

"We'll suffer together," he said.

"Together," you agreed, linking your arm with his.

* * *

That night you couldn't sleep. You were too busy thinking about everything and nothing, tossing and turning until your sheets were twisted around themselves. You sighed, sitting up in your bed. The house was still and quiet as you made your wall down the hallway, past the dining room and through the sitting room. You stopped suddenly, noticing light coming from underneath the library's closed door. You felt your heartbeat quicken as you made your way over and knocked softly.

"Who is it?" you heard Newt's muffled voice ask. You smiled, opening the door and peeking your head in.

"Can I come in?" You said. Newt looked up at you in surprise from his desk.

"O-oh! Yes, of course. Please." You shuffled in, smiling at him shyly.

"I couldn't sleep," you said, curling up in the armchair in front of his desk.

"I see," he said. He looked around the desk, grimacing. "Sorry for the mess, I wasn't expecting anyone."

"It's perfect," you said. He had removed his jacket and waistcoat again, and his bowtie was loose around his neck. The first couple of buttons on his shirt were unbuttoned and he had rolled up his sleeves. Newt noticed you staring and colored.

"I work best at night," he said, by way of explanation. You nodded.

"What are you writing about?"

"Thestrals," he said, glancing down at his papers. "Fascinating creatures. They can only be seen by people who have seen death."

"Oh," you said quietly. "Yes, I know." Newt looked up at you, a strange glint in his eye. You gave him a sad smile. "I've seen one before."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and for some reason the sadness in his voice made you instantly tear-up. You wiped at your eyes and smiled.

"It's ok," you said. You met his eyes and felt your heart clench at the unguarded look he was giving you. "My parents," you explained. He nodded slowly.

"Can I show you something?"

You gave him a shaky smile. "Sure."

You followed him down into the case and through his meadow until you reached a small lake. He sat down on the grass and motioned for you to join him. You were both quiet for a moment, watching the stars from the night sky glisten on the water's surface.

"I'm sorry," Newt said suddenly. You looked at him, but he was staring at the lake. "I'm sorry about your parents." You bit your lip.

"They died when I was ten," you said. "Dragon Pox." Newt nodded.

"I can't imagine," he said, his voice watery.

"It's ok," you said, to him and to yourself. "I'm ok." You looked out at the lake. "I do miss them, though."

"Tell me about them?" You glanced at Newt and saw him looking at you. You smiled.

"My dad used to carry me on his shoulders, even when I was too big. I used to climb in his lap and he'd tickle me until my sides hurt from laughing. He smoked a pipe, and I can still smell the tobacco, sticky and sweet. I hated it." You chuckled, stretching out your legs in front of you and looking up at the sky. "My mom always smelled like baby powder and perfume. She used to hug me to her chest, and I remember feeling so _safe_ with her. She would sing me to sleep every night."

"What song?" Newt asked, quietly. You thought for a moment and then began to sing.

"If you love me, dear Bedelia, half as much as I love you, there is nothing in this world could ever cut our love in two. I will give you all my money on the day that we are wed, and I'll even take your breakfast up to bed." You stopped, glancing at Newt and coloring. "I can't sing it like she used to."

"It's beautiful," Newt said. A sudden flash of lights over the lake caught your attention. You looked up, gasping as the sky filled with waves of green and golden light.

"What is this?" You asked.

"I charmed the sky to look like the _Aurora Borealis_ ," Newt said.

"Newt," you breathed, staring up in awe. You turned to look at him, watching the way the lights reflected off his freckled skin. He was beautiful. You reached over, taking his hand and lacing your fingers with his. He stiffened momentarily, turning towards you in shock and catching your eye. There was a terrifying moment where you thought he would pull away, but then he squeezed your hand in his gently and offered you a shy smile. You turned back to watch the sky, but could only think about the feel of his hand in yours and the wild beating of your heart.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning you arrived to breakfast late again. You smiled, seeing Mrs. Scamander, Theseus and Newt all seated and fully dressed.

"You really _are_ all early risers," you said, sitting across from Newt. He glanced up at you, smiling and coloring a bit. You had left the case quite late, reluctant to let him go until you were falling asleep on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, dear," Mrs. Scamander said, tapping your mug to fill it with coffee. "You'll get used to us."

"Sleep well?" Theseus asked, smiling at you from over his newspaper.

"Perfectly," you said, sipping your coffee.

"That's good, poor Newton said he didn't sleep a wink."

"Oh?" You said, glancing at Newt with a small smile. "That's awful."

"Yes," Newt said, biting back a smile. "It was _quite_ awful." Theseus raised a brow, looking between you and his brother curiously.

"Our guests should start arriving this afternoon," Mrs. Scamander said. "Theseus, dear, make sure you keep our Scarlet by your side and introduce her to everyone."

"Oh, that's not necessary, Mrs. Scamander. I can make my own introductions."

"Nonsense!" She said, patting your arm. "A pretty young woman like yourself needs a handsome escort." She winked at you and you blushed.

"Mother," Theseus chastised. "Stop playing matchmaker." He gave you an apologetic look.

"Excuse me." You looked up to see Newt standing. "I must attend to my creatures." His voice was tight, and he left the dining room without looking at you or Theseus. You bit your lip.

"On second thought," Theseus said thoughtfully, "Newton might be a better escort for you. He works at the Ministry, afterall…" He gave you a knowing smile.

"I'm going to go get ready," you said weakly.

* * *

After dressing, struck by an intense feeling of claustrophobia, you made your way outside. You walked along the driveway, staring up at the great ash trees and feeling small. You wondered if Newt and Theseus had ever climbed these trees as children. You wondered if you could climb one of them now… You reached your arms up, grabbing at the tree's lowest branch. You looked for a rough place on the trunk to place your foot, frowning as the bark dug into your palms.

"What are you doing?" You huffed, turning to face Newt.

"What does it look like?" You said, raising a brow at him.

"I'm not exactly sure…" He trailed off, chuckling as you tried again to hoist yourself up on the branch.

"Newt, are you going to help me or not?"

"Oh," he said, giving a shy smile. "I'm meant to be your accomplice?"

"You've already seen too much," you said gravely, and he laughed. "Come on, then." Newt walked to you, making you squeak in surprise as he picked you up by the waist and lifted you towards the branch. You grabbed for it, pulling yourself up until you were perched on it, quite pleased with yourself. You grinned down at him. "Are you coming up?"

Newt watched you for a moment, deliberating, then shook his head. He removed his jacket, folding it neatly and placing it by the tree trunk before hoisting himself up onto the branch where you sat. You scooted over to give him space. You were both quiet for a moment, listening to the wind rustling through the leaves of the great tree. "Why are we up here?" Newt said finally, turning to look at you with a small smile.

You sighed, leaning your head back and closing your eyes. "I was just feeling a bit… overwhelmed on the ground." You opened an eye to see him studying you. "Needed a new perspective." He nodded, frowning to himself.

"When I was little, I used to climb these trees to escape."

"From what?"

Newt glanced at you quickly, giving you a shy smile. "Expectations."

You bit your lip, looking out towards the grassy fields. "I normally don't cover the Society pages, you know. I'm usually chasing after headlines."

"I've read your articles," Newt said, blushing when you raised a brow at him. "I had read them before I knew you, of course. But I re-read a few, recently."

You ignored the flutter of your heart. "Yes, well. I was demoted." You let silence hang between you until Newt spoke up, asking exactly what you thought he would.

"Why?"

You let out a shaky breath. "I… have a bit of a reputation. For being… uncouth. In my personal life." You could tell Newt knew what you meant by the way he colored.

"Yes," he coughed. "Well, I've never known what it was like to fit in, either. I always seem to do the exact opposite of what I'm expected to." He gave you a small smile. "Meeting expectations was always Theseus' strength."

"He seems like someone who has always been sure of himself," you said smiling.

"Yes," Newt agreed, his voice sounding strange. You looked at him. "I won't hold it against you, you know" he said, not meeting your eyes, "if you want to accompany him tonight. He really would be a better - "

"No," you interrupted quickly. Newt looked at you for a long moment and you scooted close to him, letting your shoulders touch. "Tell me something about yourself."

"Sorry?"

"Come on," you said, giving him a half-smile. "Anything."

"Oh, well, I'm allergic to - "

"No," you laughed. "No, something nobody else knows." Newt looked confused. "Like… oh, I don't know… what's your favorite scent?"

Newt gave you a lopsided grin. "Really?"

"Yes!" He arched a brow at you and you smiled. "Ok, I'll go first." You closed your eyes and thought for a moment. "I like the smell of the pavement after it rains. The smell of the air right before it's about to snow. Old books. Fresh sheets. The smell of leather." You opened an eye to see Newt staring at you. "You go."

He colored a bit, looking at the ground. "Well… I suppose the smell of dirt - wait, not dirt… grass. The earth." He looked at you, making sure you weren't laughing. You gave him a small smile of encouragement. "Also, the smell of ink and parchment. Wildflowers…" He licked his bottom lip, closing his eyes. "The smell of the ocean - of salt on skin. And lemon." You let your head fall to his shoulder and he stiffened.

"You smell a bit like the earth," you said. You felt him look down at you.

"Like dirt?"

You chuckled as he relaxed beneath you. "No," you smiled, turning your head into the crook of his neck and inhaling. "Like a warm summer day."

The sound of crunching gravel distracted you both, and Newt surprised you by straightening up and quickly jumping to the ground.

"Theseus," he said nervously, "I was just - "

Theseus waved a hand dismissively. "Our guests are here." He looked up, catching your eye and smiling. "Oh, hello up there, Miss Littlewood."

"Hello," you said brightly. You looked down over the side of the tree warily.

"Need help?" He was unsuccessfully hiding a smile.

"No," you said slowly. "Actually…"

Theseus chuckled, taking out his wand. He muttered a quick levitating charm and eased you to the ground slowly. "There you are."

"My hero," you said dusting yourself off. You glanced at Newt, pausing when you caught him looking at your strangely. "What?"

"Sorry," he said, a small smile playing over his lips. "You've just…" He reached up to the side of your face and brushed his fingers through your hair. "You had a leaf," he whispered.

"Oh…" You took a moment to appreciate the freckles that dotted his face. Theseus coughed, causing his brother to redden.

"Right," Newt said. "Our guests." He offered his arm to you and you took it, smiling.

"Lead the way."

* * *

You hid a smile behind your drink as you watched Newt from across the room. One of the elderly women from the Ministry had cornered him, talking to him at length about a problem she was having with Gnomes in her garden. His eyes flicked to yours in a silent plea for help, but you flashed him a smile instead. Theseus joined you at the bar and chuckled.

"Stuck with Mrs. Trickle, is he?"

You nodded, taking a sip of Firewhiskey. "Oh yes. For the past thirty minutes at least."

Theseus winced. "Tough luck." He refilled your glass for you and poured one for himself. "Cheers," he said. You clinked your glass with his and smiled.

"Ready for tonight?"

"Don't remind me," he groaned. "I hate these sorts of parties, especially when I'm the center of them."

"I would have thought you'd love to be the center of attention," you said, arching a brow at him. He laughed.

"You know, Newt is lucky he met you before me. I have a weakness for clever women."

You blushed. "I…"

"Oh, don't worry Miss Littlewood. Your 'secret' is safe with me." He winked at you and strutted away, joining his mother on the sofa. You bit your lip and looked towards Newt. He was trying to back away from Mrs. Trickle as subtly as possible, but with each step backwards he took, Mrs. Trickle took one forward. You decided to take pity on him.

"Excuse me," you said to the woman, stepping to Newt's side. You gave him a serious look. "I'm afraid there's a bit of an emergency at the Beast Division. They need your input straight away." Newt's mouth fell open momentarily before catching on.

"Oh...right," he said. "Oh, that _is_ an emergency. I'm terrible sorry, Mrs. Trickle."

"Nothing serious, I hope?" The woman said, frowning.

"Nothing I can't sort out, I'm sure." Newt tried to give her a reassuring smile, though it came out as more of a grimace.

"If you'll excuse us," you said, pulling him away and towards the office.

"Yes, yes of course," she said, waving her hand. You dragged him into the office, shutting the door behind you. He sighed and leaned back against it, closing his eyes.

"How am I going to get through a whole night of that?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. You laughed and sat on top of his desk, letting your legs dangle. "It's not funny," he said, opening an eye and glaring at you.

"It really is," you countered.

"It's all Theseus fault, you know," he said with a small smile. "If he hadn't been so brave during the war… _excuse_ me!" He arched a brow at you playfully as you looked up from reading one of his errant papers. "That's part of my book - I'm not finished yet."

"The Niffler has a penchant for glittering objects?" You read aloud, smiling. "Was that why he was in my jewelry box?" Newt stepped to you quickly, reaching for the paper. You held it out of his grasp. "No, no," you said laughing, "this is my evidence for when I take your Niffler into the Wizengamot for stealing my things."

"He didn't have a chance to nick anything, really," he said, trying to grab the paper again. "I stopped him, remember?"

"I remember you bursting into my room, rather inappropriately, actually." Newt stopped reaching and reddened immediately. His eyes flicked over you, as if reliving the moment.

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I remember." You looked up at him, getting lost momentarily in the green of his eyes. You reached up and brushed the hair from his face and he closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. "Is this real?"

"I think so," you said, breathless. You leaned up, brushing your lips against his. For a moment he didn't respond and you panicked, but before you could pull away he crashed his mouth down to yours. You gasped at his intensity, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His taste and smell washed over you, and when you felt his hand press on the small of your back you let out a soft sigh. He pulled back, resting his forehead on yours and breathing heavily.

"Sorry," he said.

"Whatever for?" You kissed the tip of his nose softly and he smiled. "I've never met someone like you, Mr. Scamander."

"Someone so eccentric?" You pulled back, locking your eyes with his.

"Someone so special," you said. He moved his hand to cup the side of your face, and you leaned into his touch as his thumb brushed over your cheek.

"I haven't… I don't…" Newt looked at you, struggling.

"It's ok," you said. You laid your head on his chest, listening to the wild beating of his heart. "It's ok."

You stayed like that for a long moment, afraid to break the silence and disturb whatever was happening between the two of you. Newt reluctantly spoke first. "I think Theseus will notice if we're not at his dinner…"

"Shite, _Theseus…"_ You winced. "My interview. I need to go talk to him." You stood, smoothing your hands over the front of your dress. "Do I look alright?" Newt's eyes looked over you, softening.

"You're beautiful." You smiled, kissing him softly on the cheek.

"Wish me luck."

"You don't need it," he said, offering you a shy smile. "But good luck."

It took everything you had to leave him standing there.


	8. Chapter 8

**Warning: This Chapter contains a major Lemon. If Lemons are not your thang, DO NOT READ ON. As always, thank you all for your incredible words of kindness and support!**

* * *

"You know I can't talk about the Grindelwald investigation…" Theseus straightened his bowtie in the mirror, catching your gaze. "It's confidential."

"Of course," you said. "But I wondered if Hector Fawley had finally began to take Grindelwald's rise to power seriously - "

"The Minister isn't running the investigation," Theseus said, turning to face you. "As head of the Auror department, that falls to me. And you can rest assured that I am doing everything in my power to stop Grindelwald before he hurts anyone."

"Anyone else, you mean."

"Anyone else," Theseus agreed. "Now, not to cut this short, but I think you have a party to get ready for?"

"Alright," you said, "I know when I've pushed too far." Theseus smiled at you apologetically.

"If it's any consolation, I _wish_ I could tell you more."

"I don't need your condolences," you said shaking your head. "How much time have I got?"

"Five minutes?"

You winced. "OK, five minutes." You waved your wand over yourself, transfiguring your dress into something more formal and setting your hair. Theseus let out a low whistle.

"You clean up well, you know that?"

"I do," you said, charming on some lipstick and eyeliner. "Let's go, war hero."

* * *

The party was being held in the great room of the Scamander house, and you gasped as Theseus led you through the doorway. The ceiling had been charmed to look like the night sky filled with glittering stars, and as you looked about the room you noticed candles floating gracefully throughout the air.

"It's just like Hogwarts," you said smiling. Theseus grinned down at you.

"Yes, we are quite a nostalgic family," he said.

"Congratulations, Theseus."

You looked up to see a rather severe looking man in front of you.

"Thank you, Alexander," Theseus said. They shook hands briefly.

"And who is this?" The man's eyes narrowed on you, the corner of his mouth ticking up in a forced smile.

"My name is Scarlet Littlewood, reporter for the Daily Prophet."

"A reporter?" Alexander arched a brow at Theseus. "I would think it would be a conflict of interest for the head of the Auror department to be socializing with a reporter."

"Oh, we aren't…" You stopped as he looked over you slowly.

"Well," he said, bowing his head. "That is a relief." He turned back to Theseus. "I'll leave you to your other guests. It was a pleasure."

"Who was that?" You asked Theseus as soon as he was out of earshot.

"Alexander works as an unofficial advisor for the Minister," he said slowly. "He's from a very old and prestigious family."

"He gives me the creeps." Theseus laughed at you, bending down to whisper in your ear.

"Don't worry, you're safe with us." He looked to his right, waving at a woman dressed elegantly in blue. "You must excuse me," he said, winking at you. "Duty calls." You laughed as he stepped away from you.

"Just like his father," Mrs. Scamander said, stepping to your side and handing you a glass of champagne. "A real charmer."

You smiled at her. "Thank you for allowing me to be here tonight."

"Nonsense," she said. "It's my pleasure." The two of you stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching the people in the room mingle. "Newton tells me you're quite good with the creatures."

You blushed at the mention of his name. "Oh… I don't know about that. I don't have much experience."

"He says you're a natural." She gave you a knowing smile as she sipped her champagne.

"Well, he's a very good teacher," you said, avoiding eye contact.

"Ah, here he comes now. Newton!" You tried to look as uninterested as possible as Newt made his way over to you and his mother through the crowd. "You look miserable," she admonished.

"Yes," he said wincing. "There are more people here than I thought there would be."

"Well, try to have a good time, at least. Oh, look! There's Mrs. Easley. Excuse me." Mrs. Scamander walked away, every bit the gracious host.

"You _do_ look miserable," you told him, smiling and touching his cheek gently. He gave you a small smile.

"How long do we have to stay before we can leave?"

You chuckled and were about to answer when a tap on your shoulder distracted you. You turned, eyes widening a bit when you saw it was the same man from before.

"Miss Littlewood," Alexander said, eyeing you up and down. "May I borrow you for a moment?"

"Oh…" You looked back to Newt. He clenched his jaw a bit, but forced a smile.

"I'll be here," he said. You gave him a small smile and let Alexander lead you away.

"Miss Littlewood," he said, as soon as you were out of earshot. "I have to say I'm concerned with your involvement with the Scamanders."

You felt your face flush. "Excuse me?"

"I know your reputation," he said disdainfully. "You don't come from a good family. You have no influence. The Scamander name means something to people, Miss Littlewood. Mrs. Scamander has enough to worry about, what with that peculiar Newton running about, without you - "

"I'm sorry," you said, voice shaky. "Say what you will about me, but you have _no_ right to talk about Newt. He has more to offer in his little finger than you have in your whole body."

"I don't know what you're up to," he said, "but if you're trying to get at Theseus' money - "

"I must stop you there," you interrupted. "You have absolutely no idea who I am, or where I've been. You can't possibly - "

"I know a common slag when I see one."

Before you knew what you were doing, you had reached back and slapped Alexander flat across his face. For a moment he stared at you in shock, but very quickly his face morphed into one of anger.

"You little - "

"What's going on here?" You turned to see a very upset Newt. He was standing straighter than you'd ever seen, lips pressed so tightly together they were white. He took a step towards you, locking eyes with Alexander.

"I demand you that you have this horrible _woman_ removed from this house immediately," Alexander spat.

"I'm afraid it's you who will be leaving," Newt said. His voice was uncharacteristically harsh.

" _Excuse me?"_ Alexander was beside himself with anger. "You don't have the authority to - "

"Actually," Newt said, "I do. It is _my_ house after all." Alexander stared at him, stone faced. "I assume you don't want to cause a scene?"

"Theseus _will_ hear about this," he said, turning on his heel. You watched him storm out, nearly toppling over a waiter in his wake.

"I'm sorry, Newt, I just - "

"I heard what you said." You met his eyes, surprised by the unguarded look he gave you. He reached a hand up and brushed his thumb across your bottom lip. "I've never had anyone stand up for me before."

"Well," you said, smiling. "I hope I didn't cause Theseus any unnecessary drama."

"Theseus will love the story," he said. "He might even suggest you put it in your article. It's bound to make headlines." You laughed and took his hand, lacing your fingers with his.

"Let's go," you said. Newt smiled and nodded, pulling you behind him as he made his way through the party.

* * *

You watched Newt feed the Occamys with wonder. The way they responded to him was incredible - you could feel the love and trust they shared.

"Would you like to hold one?" Newt smiled, catching your eye.

"Can I?" You approached the nest slowly, looking in at them. Newt reached in, cupping his hands and allowing the smallest one to slither into his grasp.

"This is my newest addition," he said proudly. You cupped your hands and he tilted his so that the Occamy could slide into your open palms. "She was just hatched yesterday."

"She's beautiful," you said, marveling at how she felt. She was soft and delicate, curling around you for warmth. "She has a good mum," you said, offering Newt a smile.

"She is very loved," he agreed. You lowered your hands back to the nest and she slid off gently.

"I can't believe you made all this," you said, standing and sighing. Newt blushed a bit.

"Well, it didn't happen overnight, of course." He grabbed his feed bucket and walked back to the shed, throwing a handful of pellets to the Mooncalves as he passed. Stepping inside, you kicked off your shoes and sat down heavily on his cot.

"I snuck us a bottle of champagne," you said, pulling it out of your purse.

"I see you know some expansion charms, yourself," Newt smiled, impressed. You winked at him and pulled out two glasses from the depths of your bag.

"Sit," you said, pouring a glass and offering it to him. "I know you don't normally drink, but tonight calls for a celebration." He sat on the cot next to you and took the glass.

"And what are we celebrating? Theseus' heroism?"

"No," you said quickly. "No, tonight we are celebrating you."

"Whatever for?"

You clinked your glass against his and drank. "Do I need a reason to celebrate you, Mr. Scamander?"

He gave you a shy smile. "No, I suppose not." He took a drink from his glass and placed it on the shelf behind him. "Tell me something about yourself," he said. You grinned.

"Ok." You closed your eyes and thought for a moment. "I keep a book of all the places I'd like to travel to." You opened an eye to see Newt smiling at you.

"What are your top three?"

You hummed. "Egypt, Thailand, Mexico… I'd go anywhere, really."

"I've been to Egypt," he said. You looked at him in surprise. "It's true," he nodded. You shook your head.

"You've done _everything_ , haven't you?"

"Not everything," he said, meeting your gaze. You felt your stomach lurch as he leaned in and kissed you gently. His lips were slightly chapped and tasted like champagne, and when he parted them slightly you let your tongue dip into his mouth to touch his. He gasped, his hand coming to rest on your hip while pulling your body closer. You let your teeth graze his bottom lip and he let out a soft groan, pushing you back until he was on top of you, his knee resting between your legs.

He kissed you again, harder this time, his own tongue snaking past your lips as your hands worked the buttons on his vest and shirt. He was supporting himself with one hand, the other ghosting along your side from your hip to the bottom of your breast and back again.

"Newt," you whispered, tugging his shirt around his shoulders. He broke from you momentarily to shrug it off, returning to plant open mouthed kisses along your neck and collarbone. You gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot near your clavicle, arching into him and making him groan. He sat back on his heels, pulling you up with him and kissing you again. You felt his hands playing with the zipper at the back of your dress, unsure.

"We don't…" he looked at you, cupping your face gently. "We don't have to - "

"Please," you said, surprised at the desperate lilt in your voice. Newt bit his lip and pulled the zipper down, letting the dress pool at your waist. His eyes darkened as he took in your slip. He bent down, pulling the strap off your left shoulder and kissing your exposed skin. His other hand pushed the right strap down and you felt the garment fall, exposing you completely to him. He pushed you back down again, kissing you with a new intensity as his hand came up to cup your breast. You hissed, arching your body into his calloused hand. Your whole body felt on fire - you couldn't remember ever feeling this heady with want. He brushed his thumb over your nipple and you keened, heat pooling low in your abdomen. Your hands flew to his belt, and as your hand brushed over the hardness in his pants he groaned and bit into your shoulder.

"I won't," he said desperately, helping you to remove his belt, "I'm afraid I won't - "

"It's ok," you said, kissing him. "It's ok." You felt his hand slide from your knee up to your inner thigh and you gasped. He looked at you for permission and you nodded, thoughts completely foggy. He pulled gently on your underwear, sliding it down as you raised your hips. He pulled them off along with your dress, leaving you completely bare underneath him. He exhaled and looked up at you.

"You're beautiful," he said, lowering himself onto your body. You sighed at the feel of his bare chest against yours. You kissed him, slowly at first, but more and more frantically as the heat in your body grew. The feel of his hand returning to your inner thigh sent a shock through your system, making you gasp into his mouth. His thumb was drawing quick circles there, drawing nearer and nearer to where you needed his touch most.

"Please," you whispered. You grabbed the back of his elbow, pushing his hand higher. "Please…" You both groaned as he touched you. He was timid at first, watching you and gauging your reactions with an intensity that made you want him even more. Almost on accident he brushed his thumb over your most sensitive place, causing you to throw your head back in pleasure and buck up into his hand. He bit his lip and repeated the action, making a strangled sound as you hissed. "Newt," you begged, hands going back to the front of his trousers. "I need you…"

"Yes," he said, helping you unbutton the placket on his pants. He stood, kicking off his shoes and pulling the rest of his clothing off quickly. He lowered himself to you, kissing you gently. "I don't know how long I'll last," he said quietly. You kissed the tip of his nose.

"Me either," you said truthfully. He gave you a small smile, and you groaned as you felt the tip of him at your entrance. He looked at you again and you nodded, gasping as he sunk into you. He didn't move for a moment, and you watched as he clenched his jaw and wrenched his eyes closed. You leaned up and kissed him, and he responded so urgently you thought your lips might bruise. Slowly he pulled out from you and sank back in, making you both groan. "Oh, Merlin…" You clawed at his back. "Newt, please…"

"Yes," he breathed, finding a rhythm. "Yes…" You could feel your body winding tighter and tighter with each of his thrusts. Newt was kissing you everywhere he could, moving faster inside of you. "I'm can't.." he panted, kissing your shoulder, "I'm going to…"

"Yes," you agreed, arching up to meet his movements. "Yes…" He reached between you, circling your bud with his thumb and you exploded. White hot pleasure shot through you, causing your entire body to spasm. Somewhere in the distance you heard Newt call your name and stiffen, but you couldn't focus on his voice through the ringing in your ears. When you finally came down, Newt was lying on top of you, breathing heavily and kissing your forehead. You leaned up and caught his lips in a lazy kiss, resting on his chest as he collapsed beside you. You traced the light scars on his torso with your fingers as he caught his breath.

"Tell me something about yourself," you said quietly, placing a kiss on his shoulder. He laughed breathlessly and ran his fingers through your hair.

"Promise not to laugh?" He asked, leaning down and kissing the top of your head. You nodded. "Scarlet has always been one of my favorite colors." You hummed, smiling into his skin.

"Thank you, Newt," you said, yawning.

"What for?" You could heart the question in his voice, but you were too tired to look up at him.

"For everything…" You were drifting off, falling asleep to the rhythmic beating of his heart. You couldn't remember the last time you had slept with someone - actually _slept_ with someone; but deep down you knew there was nowhere else you'd rather be.


	9. Chapter 9

You woke up disoriented with a crick in your neck and a strange weight on your body. You groaned as you shifted uncomfortably and opened an eye. Your body heated at the sight of Newt sleeping next to you, the memory of the previous evening making your heartbeat race. Smiling, you reached out and softly brushed the hair back from his face.

"Newt," you whispered, placing a kiss to his jaw. "Good morning." He groaned a little, opening his eyes and blushing.

"Good morning," he said, and your heart swelled at the raspy quality of his voice. "Did you sleep ok?"

You laughed, rubbing your neck. "Maybe next time we can make use of a more comfortable location…" You trailed off, catching the strange look he gave you. "What?"

Newt colored, smiling a bit and looking away. "Nothing," he said. He offered you a half-smile. "Next time?" You grinned and kissed him, sighing into his mouth as you felt him thread his fingers through the hair at the base of your neck. "Oh," he said, pulling away suddenly. "Breakfast." You hummed.

"You go. I need to wash up, and I'll meet you there." You stood, craning your neck too find where your clothing had ended up. Stepping into your dress you caught Newt's eye and smiled. "What now?"

He gave you a grin, grabbing your wrist and pulling you down until he could kiss you. "You're going to be late for breakfast, again." You swatted his arm and pulled away, heading to the ladder.

"It's tradition."

* * *

You weren't late to breakfast, though you were certainly close to it. You took your empty seat across from Newt and smiled. Theseus tapped your cup, filling it with coffee.

"Such a gentleman," you said, cupping the mug and sipping.

"I live to serve," he smiled. "Where'd you get off to last night, anyways?"

You coughed a bit, reddening and forcing yourself not to look at Newt. "Oh, I just… got tired." You gave him a tight smile. "Went to bed early."

"Funny," he said. "Newton had the same problem. Wonder what happened yesterday that tired the two of you out?" He smiled at you then, a knowing smile.

"Are you ready for the ceremony tonight, Theseus?" Newt said, a little too loudly.

"Yes," Theseus said, taking a bite of sausage. "As ready as I'll ever be. I managed to secure an escort, actually."

"Wow," you said, sipping your coffee. "Tricked her, did you?"

"I resent that," he sniffed. "Some women find me quite a catch, you know." Newt snorted, making you chuckle. Theseus was about to retort when he was interrupted by the entrance of their butler.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Miss Littlewood has a visitor." You raised an eyebrow at him. _Who in the Wizarding world would be here to see…_ "A Mr. Black?" _Shite._ You paled, nodding curtly.

"Are you quite alright?" Newt said, looking at you worriedly. You gave him a shaky smile as you stood.

"I'm fine," you said, not fine at all. Mr. Back's presence could have no good implication. You made your way out of the room slowly, ignoring the sick feeling in your stomach. Mr. Black was waiting for you in the sitting room, puffing angrily on a cigar. As soon as the door was closed behind you he started.

"I'm assuming you know why I'm here?"

You fidgeted, biting your lip. "I'm honestly unsure, Mr. Black." He began pacing furiously, beside himself.

"Miss Littlewood, _what_ did I tell you about this assignment? Did I not tell you to behave yourself?"

You furrowed your brow. "I haven't - " He spun to face you, angrily.

"I received a very unpleasant visit this morning from a Ministry official. He claims you've entered into an _arrangement_ with one of the Scamanders."

"Alexander," you said, paling. "Sir, it's not - "

"Not what I think?" He said, raising a brow. "Then you deny it? You're not involved?" You hesitated for a moment too long and he shook his head. "Scarlet…"

"It's not like that," you said, voice shaky. "It's not - "

"I can't have one of my reporters causing this much trouble. You're supposed to _write_ headlines, not _make_ them." He sighed heavily. "This gives me no pleasure, Scarlet, but… I can't continue to employ you."

You felt your blood run cold. " _What?"_ Mr. Black looked at you sadly.

"Alexander is very important in the Ministry," he said. "He's threatening to cause trouble for the paper if we don't take action."

"But," you said, stepping towards him, "this is _completely_ unfair. I'm - "

"The best reporter I've got," he finished sadly. "My hands are tied, doll."

"Mr. Black," you pleaded, "there has to be _something_ I can do…"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Scarlett. I'll pay you for this assignment, but as far as I'm concerned, you can head home now, if you'd like." You stood, stricken, as he patted your arm. "You're smart," he assured. "You'll be alright." He walked to the fireplace, taking one last look at you before Floo-ing away.

"Scarlet?" You turned to look at Newt numbly as he came to your side. "Is everything alright?" He touched his fingers to your cheek and you felt something break inside you.

"I've… I've been fired." You felt the sting of tears as you looked at him. "I lost my job." You wiped at your eye, looking away from him. "Alexander told my boss about us and demanded I be let go for impropriety." Newt stiffened beside you.

"I…" You looked up at him, his face a grotesque mix of anger and guilt. "This is my fault," he said, stopping a moment to clench his jaw. "I shouldn't have been so aggressive…"

"I'm the one who hit him," you said quietly. Newt pulled you to his chest, kissing you on the top of your head.

"What should I do?" You hiccuped, pulling away from his chest.

"No, it's me. I have to go talk to him." You stumbled toward the fireplace, stopping as you felt Newt grab your hand.

"I'll go with you," he said. You shook your head.

"No," you said sadly. "I'm afraid that won't help my case."

Newt bit his lip. "I can't… I can't just let you leave."

"I have to go," you said. "I have to convince him this isn't just… we aren't... " You stopped, feeling the weight of what you were about to say.

"We aren't...?" He asked, stepping closer to you.

"We aren't… just messing around," you finished, staring at the ground. You felt him tuck a finger under your chin and pull your face up to look at his.

"We aren't," he breathed, staring at you momentarily before kissing you softly. You stayed like that for a long moment, afraid to break apart. "Scarlet," he whispered, pressing his lips to your forehead. "What if you came with me?"

You looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

He colored. "I'm about to leave to do more field research for my book. I'm headed to the territory of New Guinea… what if you came _with_ me?"

"I don't…" You stopped. "I couldn't."

"Why?" He cupped your face. "You want to travel, to see the world. Why not see it with me?"

"You don't really know me," you said, sadly. "You could end up hating me."

"I don't think that's possible," he said, quietly You shook your head.

"Newt, I'm not a good person. I'm…" You looked at him, willing him to understand. "I've made mistakes."

"As have I," he said. You bit your lip and he sighed, taking a step back from you. "Go," he said. "Go and think about it. I leave tomorrow morning, after Theseus' party."

You looked up at him in shock. "So soon?" He nodded.

"I wanted to tell you last night but… I didn't want to ruin anything." He reached up and brushed a finger over your cheek. "I know it's fast… I just can't imagine leaving you behind. If you decide to come, you'd make me happier than I ever thought possible."

"I need to think about it," you said weakly. He nodded. You closed the distance between the two of you, kissing him softly and then stepping back. "I can't imagine leaving you either, you know." Newt smiled and looked at the ground.

You turned away from him, pausing for a moment. This wasn't the kind of choice you should make impulsively. You closed your eyes and sighed, telling yourself not to look back. When you opened your eyes again, you were home.


	10. Chapter 10

Your apartment was certainly not glamorous. Working at the Daily Prophet didn't pay as well as people thought, and being a woman didn't exactly qualify you for many raises. It was a small one bedroom old enough to be dilapidated, but not old enough to have any notable history. You had turned the living room into an office, setting up a small wooden desk in the center of the room. On it sat an old, beat-up typewriter you'd got second hand at the shop down the street and an ash tray. You had piled up old newspapers around it, using the mountains as impromptu side tables to set your drinks on when the night went on a bit too long. Your kitchen had a coldbox and a small, virtually unused stovetop. The wallpaper was a pale green, and patches of it had begun to peel off over the years. A large crack ran up one of the walls, jagged and angry. Your bedroom was the most furnished of all with both a bed and a wardrobe. Both had been left by the previous occupant. It wasn't much, but it had been home for you. And now, after losing your job, you'd probably lose it, too.

Mr. Black had not listened to your pleas when you went to see him to get your job back. He wasn't a bad guy, but, like most men, was about the bottom line. The cost of firing you was worth the newspaper's reputation. You felt your stomach lurch as you looked around your apartment again, and you felt an intense need to self-medicate. At least you still had enough in your coin purse for a drink.

* * *

The bar around the corner was almost a second home to you by now. You nodded at the bartender as you sat, smiling as he poured you your usual.

"Tough day, sweetheart?" He handed you the Firewhiskey as you lit a cigarette.

"You've no idea…" You kicked back your drink, setting the empty glass down on the bar and sighing. "You ever feel like you've had the rug pulled from under you, then been kicked while you're still down?"

He chuckled, pouring you another glass. "Love will do that to you." You grimaced and waved your hand.

"That's not it."

"Isn't it?" He leaned on the counter and smiled. "I seen you in here too many times, doll. I know you."

You shook your head. "I lost my _job._ The only thing I've ever been good at is chasing stories, Red. I don't know who I am without the papers." You took a swig of whiskey and grimaced. "I don't know who I am."

Red looked at you for a moment, thinking. "When's the last time you were really happy, huh?" You immediately thought of Newt and smiled. He hummed. "See? Bet it wasn't chasing one of your stories, was it?"

You sighed. "Writing is all I know."

"That don't mean it's all you're meant to do." His eyes softened as he searched your face. "You're a good kid, you know that? You deserve more than this place. If you got something that makes you smile like that, that's where you need to be." You bit your lip.

"I'm scared, Red."

"That's cause you're used to knowing, ain't ya?" He shook his head and smiled. "You ain't ever gonna grow, sweetheart, if you only stick to what you know."

You felt the truth of his words and stood suddenly. "What time is it?"

Red looked at his watch. "Quarter to eight." You beamed at him.

"Thank you, Red."

"Don't mention it," he said, but you were already gone.

* * *

The cool air of the country washed over you as you landed in front of the Scamander manor, making your skin break out in goosebumps. The house was ablaze with light and music, Theseus' party already well underway. You hesitated for a brief moment before stealing your nerves and making your way to the entrance.

The great room was absolutely dripping with fancy gowns and laughing faces. You craned your neck looking for a shock of familiar red hair when you felt someone grab your upper arm.

"Miss Littlewood?" Your turned at Theseus' voice and beamed.

"Oh, I never thought I'd be so happy to see you!" You hugged him, and he briefly stiffened beneath you before relaxing into the embrace.

"Gee, thanks." He smiled down at you as you leaned back, eyes soft.

"Where is he?"

Theseus shrugged. "He's never been one for parties…" He winked at you as you smiled.

"Thank you," you said, turning. "Oh, I almost forgot." You leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Congratulations, hero." Theseus chuckled and nudged you away.

"Hurry to him," he said lightly. "I can't take anymore of his moping around."

You left the great room, heading down the hall and towards the office. The door was ajar and you let yourself in and smiled at the suitcase lying in the center of the room. No longer a stranger to his world, you slipped in and down the ladder.

You made your way through his shed carefully, careful not to make a sound as you exited and made your way through the different habitats and enclosures. You found Newt sitting on the grass overlooking the lake, humming softly. He hadn't heard you approach, and as you drew nearer you could make out the words he was singing to himself. You smiled as you listened.

"Bedelia, I'd like to steal you. Bedelia, I love you so. Oh say, my dear Bedelia, may I be your beau…" You felt your body warm as you recognized your mother's song.

"She would have loved it down here," you said, smiling as he snapped his head towards your voice.

"Scarlett…" He watched you with wide eyes as you joined him on the grass.

"She always said she wanted to see the world." You turned your head to meet his gaze and smiled. "Maybe, somehow, she'll see it through me, now."

Newt's eyes softened and he smiled. "I think she will. We'll make sure she does, together." He reached up and cupped your face.

"Together," you agreed, turning your head and kissing his palm. Newt leaned forward, resting his forehead against yours and exhaling.

In the distance green and gold lights flickered across the sky, but you and Newt hardly noticed.


End file.
